


Northern Light

by Maria_and_her_books



Category: LazyTown
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, Yule, and robbie is a surprisingly good listener, have you've ever longed for the holidays of your childhood?, sportacus does
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 14:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21651235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria_and_her_books/pseuds/Maria_and_her_books
Summary: In the middle of a winter's night Robbie finds a certain Elf who tells him about yule.
Relationships: Robbie Rotten/Sportacus
Comments: 2
Kudos: 68





	Northern Light

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta-ed, non-english writer. Please let me know if I've made glaring grammatical errors. :-)

It was quiet for once, the world peaceful in the stillness of the night. The moon and stars bright in the clear dark skies, the town almost otherworldly as it was covered in snow. 

Like a dusting of powdered sugar.

No, not completely quiet, Robbie shivered as his ears picked up a soft voice singing a sorrowful, haunting tune. 

Robbie looked at the moon again, it wasn't full. Not the witching hour either. 

His heart racing he considered going home for a moment. But something about that voice... 

He peeked over the wall he was crouching behind, not a soul to be seen in the silver-white light so where...?

There.

There, in the freezing cold was that fool of an Elf, laying down on top of a wall staring up at the stars and singing softly. 

Robbie made to leave but...

Sportacus was awake after 8.08. Staying still. Sounding... sad?

There was so much wrong with that picture.

Robbie halted for a moment, feeling the chill of the night instantly as he stopped moving. 

Shivering he looked back at the motionless figure.

\--------------

Robbie wasn't clear himself what had happened but somehow he'd marched over to the blue nuisance and had dragged his frozen ass home to his lair. He was quite sure he himself had been grumbling and complaining the whole way. 

\--------------

"Sit," Robbie commanded as he pointed at his chair and then went to grab some dry and warm clothes.  
The fool had been laying down in the snow, his vest and shirt wet and cold. 

Sportacus gratefully accepted the soft and worn hoodie Robbie had thrown him. For once in his life Robbie had been fast enough: he'd made it back to the kitchen before Sportacus had pulled his sodden shirt over his head. 

Some things were better not to see, his imagination plagued him enough as it was already.

The image of Sportacus in Robbie's hoodie was...something. Robbie did not dare to examine the feelings it evoked in him while Sportacus was in the same room. 

Ears burning even so he held out a blanket and a hot water bottle, eyes skitting away from too long sleeves falling over Sportacus' hands, wide shoulders stretching the fabric in an aesthetically very pleasing way... 

He returned with mulled cider to find Sportacus safely covered up, hugging the hot water bottle close, and comfortably wrapped in the warm blanket. The purple shade accented Sportacus' eyes in a very lovely... 

Nope.

Robbie held out the steaming mug, watching silently as Sportacus wriggled to extend one hand while simultaneously keeping all that blissful warmth enclosed around him.

The Elf sniffed the drink carefully, his eyes questioning but trusting as he looked up at Robbie.

"Mulled cider,"Robbie awkwardly explained, "apples, honey and some spices. You should be able to drink it I think."

Robbie turned away from the radiant smile. The appreciating hum as Sportacus took a sip send a spike of... something... through him.

He sat down on the rug, leaning his back against the chair and stared at his own drink, "Now spill, why on earth were you trying to catch pneumonia?!"

It was silent for a long while and Robbie deliberated turning to see Sportacus expression when he heard a soft, almost tired sigh, "It's almost yule, the winter solstice... I... I missed home. My family. I mean, Lazy Town is home too but you don't celebrate..." 

He seemed at a loss for words and Robbie took pity on him, "You were homesick."

"Yes. No.. I... I missed... missed the holidays of my youth I think?" He clearly didn't know the exact answer himself.

Robbie knew about those feelings, the sense of something being amiss, something missing. Something that never would come back and the memory of it being golden, hazy. Of not being able to convey it, to describe it in actual words.

"What is..yule?" he finally asked, tongue tripping over the unfamiliar word.

"Yule," Sportacus repeated quietly, his accent colouring the word impossibly fond.

Halting at first, searching for the right words he started to describe the wild and strange country where he was born. His tone soft and earnest he told Robbie about the Northern Lights, waterfalls, mist and mountains. Snow so unlike the fine powdered dust on the roofs of Lazy Town in winter. 

Sportacus had never been a man, Elf, whatever, of many words. But now, with an attentive audience he spoke at length, often pausing to find the English words. His cheeks growing rosy he talked about long dark winter nights and candlelight. Families and laughter.  
Robbie leant his head against the recliner and let the warmth of Sportacus' stories slowly envelop him. Sportacus' accent curling around his words, around his love for his parents and brothers.

\--------------

Robbie felt a sudden pang of wistfulness as he remembered the dreams and hopes of his childhood, of a loving and warm family of his own. Wishing for a mother to tuck him into bed, kissing his forehead. A father who'd always smile at him and hug him close as he read to him. Robbie had buried those futile dreams and hopes deep, it had only hurt him in the end. 

He hugged his blanket closer, leant against the softness of his recliner and looked up at Sportacus.  
Sportacus was looking at him, those blue eyes so kind, inviting him to share in the stories of the joy and laughter of a family up in the dark cold north. And this Robbie could have, was allowed to have.  
"Go on, " he prompted, his voice hoarse.

Sportacus smiled at him, not his usual wide smile, no, something infinitely brighter and softer at the same time. And then he told Robbie about winter solstice and the hope of the return of spring and the warmth of summer. How they made wishes on the yule log and danced the cold away. The time of looking towards the future with hope and optimism. 

Robbie watched him as he grew drowsy, Sportacus' words coming slower and his eyes drifting shut. Curled up in Robbie's recliner Sportacus finally slept, still and relaxed for once.

Robbie wondered what had made the Elf leave the country he loved so dearly, had made him stay in this small town. Wondered if it was worth it.

In the quiet of the night Robbie stared at Sportacus' soft smile, heard his content sigh. Simply sitting here, next to the Elf, Robbie felt...peaceful, calm. Right.

A wish made on the yule log will come true in the upcoming year, Sportacus had said. A sudden want popped in Robbie's head, one of secret laughter and softness and warmth.  
"You should come back," he whispered, "come back on the longest night to make a wish. With me."

Sportacus smiled in his sleep.

\--------------


End file.
